


Blessing in Disguise

by anakien



Series: Colors [2]
Category: Star Wars: Rebels
Genre: AU, Gen, colorblind, uh oh ezra's in troublee
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-03
Updated: 2017-01-03
Packaged: 2018-09-14 10:40:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,525
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9177982
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anakien/pseuds/anakien
Summary: "You think, you think that colors are going to brainwash me?" And with that, Ezra spluttered back into laughter.





	

**Author's Note:**

> You know how I did the fic where being colorblind gets Ezra INTO trouble? This is the one where it gets him out of it. I set it way early in season 1-2ish? Either way, before the one where he and Zeb get stuck on the ice planet, and definitely before season 3 where Kallus is Fulcrum now. Because that would just be awkward, ya know?
> 
> Enjoy.

When Ezra came to, he blinked his eyes blearily, shaking his head to clear his vision. That's when he realized he wasn't on the Ghost, and his head snapped up with wide eyes. He was strapped to an upright table in a bleak grey room, and two bucketheads were watching him motionlessly from the door. The back of Ezra's head ached somewhat fiercely, and he winced as he accidentally hit it trying to wiggle out of the bindings.

One of the stormtroopers huffed a laugh, and his friend slowly turned to look at him incredulously.

"What can I say?" Ezra gave his best smile. "I'm hilarious." He tried to go boneless to slip under the straps, but they were still too tight, and he huffed in annoyance.

"Kid, you know you're not going to get out," one of the stormtroopers said.

Ezra looked up in annoyance from where he was trying to bite at the strap. "Watch me," he said, baring his teeth.

He paused, trying to think of a new idea, when a lightbulb went off over his head.

"You will let me go," Ezra tried, focusing on the stormtrooper who laughed at him.

"What?" He said in annoyance.

"You _will_ let me go."

The stormtrooper stiffened. "I will let you go." His friend looked at him like he was insane. He took one step towards Ezra before the door slid open, and the familiar form of Agent Kallus walked in.

"You're not going anywhere, Jabba," he sneered. He jerked the stormtrooper back by the shoulder, and the trooper shook his head and came out of the mind trick. He stepped back to his original post, and his friend put a questioning hand on his shoulder.

"Agent Kallus," Ezra said. "I should've known." He tried again to get out, and Kallus watched in amusement.

"Your resilience is astounding. Unfortunately, it's futile." He leaned in close and pressed a button on the side of table by Ezra's head. Almost immediately, a medical droid walked in, carrying a syringe with a long, sharp needle.

Ezra gulped.

"However, while you're here, The Empire has been meaning to test this new... medicine we have been developing for a very long time." Beside Kallus, the droid picked up the syringe and flicked it, squirting a little into the air. "Unfortunately, we have had no willing volunteers."

Ezra could feel his stomach sink lower and lower, and he felt his hands grow clammy as the droid took a step towards him.

"Wait!" Ezra called out desperately. "Can't you at least tell me what it does?"

The droid stopped and turned its blank face towards Kallus. "Awaiting orders," it said.

Kallus huffed. "Proceed," he said.

"This drug is a new method of brainwashing that mimics the effect of the recreational drug typically known as 'deathsticks' on the human mind." The droid spoke in a monotone voice.

"Which means?" Ezra prodded. At an annoyed look from Kallus, he exclaimed angrily, "Hey, just because I grew up on the streets doesn't mean I ever did drugs!"

"In the simplest format you may understand it, the drug changes the recipient's interpretation and view of colors."

_Colors._ Ezra blinked once and then burst into laughter. The droid remained stationary, but Kallus scowled.

"Pray tell what's so funny, Jedi? Need I remind you the gravity of this situation? You are a prisoner. Your friends aren't going to be able to save you now."

Ezra took a deep breath to try and compose himself. Kallus looked incredibly angry, and it was only growing by the second. "You think, you think that _colors_ are going to brainwash me?" And with that, Ezra spluttered back into laughter.

Kallus's cheeks were turning red. "One day you will learn not to underestimate the Empire. Inject the serum," he ordered to the droid. Then he turned back to Ezra. "We'll see if you're still laughing later." Turning on his heel, he stomped out, and the stormtroopers followed.

The droid stepped in front of Ezra. "Would you like something to bite down on?"

Ezra screwed up his face, looking at the droid like it was crazy.

"Your mistake," it said. With one hand, it yanked up Ezra's sleeve and readied the needle. "This is going to hurt."

Ezra's howl echoed throughout the base, and somewhere in hyperspace traveling towards them, Kanan's eyes shot open with a gasp.

"Ezra!"

\---

Two hours later, Ezra was bored out of his mind. He was still strapped down onto the table, and the droid was settled in the corner, watching him and monitoring his vitals. Nothing had changed for him, except a slight blurry tinge around the edges. It might have been the most boring captivity the Empire had done yet.

"Can you let me down now?" Ezra whined. "My arms hurt."

"My programming prohibits me from releasing you in an form," the droid replied. "However, you seem to be a remarkable subject. Your vitals show no signs of change, besides the initial change in heart rate from fear. I wish to study you more."

"Yeah? Thanks for that," Ezra griped. "Also, my arm still hurts, so screw you."

"My calculations suggest that either the Rebel Alliance has been training its member in ways to reject brainwashing, or that you are simply colorbl-"

Mid-sentence, the door swung open again, and Kallus came stalking back in. Ezra lifted his head up and glared with all his might.

"Well, Jabba," he sneered. "Has our drug proved to be a success?" Ezra stuck his nose in the hair and sniffed, refusing to answer. Still sneering, Kallus turned to the doctor. "Droid, give me an update."

"The subject shows no signs of change in vitals." The droid said, handing Kallus his holopad with the vitals scrolling across.

"Impossible," Kallus said, haughty expression disappearing in a flash. Ezra laughed at his confused expression. "How are you doing this?!"

"I guess we rebels are still just too good for you," Ezra said. He flashed Kallus a gloating smile. Kallus frowned at him and sneered.

"Up his dosage," Kallus barked, thrusting the datapad back into the droid's outstretched receptors. "We need results."

"This drug is still in the experimental stages, Sir," the droid said. "We do not know what unintended consequences a higher dosage could entail."

"Are you questioning me?" Kallus said, narrowing his eyesbrows.

The droid was silent for a moment. "No. Allow me to go get more of the drug." It walked out of the room.

Kallus took a step closer to Ezra and leaned in. Ezra tilted his head away to get some of his own personal space back. He opened his mouth, but whatever he was about to say was cut off when the ship shook and rattled. Kallus went stumbling and used Ezra's shoulder to brace himself.

"Your friends are here," Kallus said in horror, right as Ezra's eyes lit up.

"I knew they would be."

Without another glance at Ezra, Kallus rushed out, most likely to head up to Command and come up with a plan of attack. Ezra could only close his eyes and hope that they would find him before he came back. He reached out to Kanan through the force and smiled when Kanan nudged back.

The door slid open again, and Ezra opened his eyes to see the droid back with another needle. He groaned, letting his head thump against the table.

"Are you serious? Again?"

"You heard my orders," the droid replied. It did the same prep routine as before and stepped back in front of Ezra. It reached towards the same arm as before and Ezra stopped him hurriedly.

"Whoa, can't you do the other arm? You did that one last time!"

The droid froze, scanning him. It shook its head. "Bioscans say that this vein is better for injections. Would you like something to bite down on this time?"

Ezra mumbled a rude comment, and the droid didn't even blink. "Another no. When will you learn?" Ezra clenched his eyes shut and tilted his head away from his arm, biting his lip and trying to brace himself.

As soon as the needle began to prick his skin, the door slid open, and the droid went flying against the wall. Ezra opened his eyes in surprise to see Kanan standing in the doorway, hand outstretched.

"Get away from him," Kanan growled. The syringe had broken on the ground, the thick liquid seeping out.

"Kanan!" Ezra exclaimed. "I've never been happier to see you."

"What were they doing to you?" Kanan said, rushing up towards him and hitting the button to release him from the table. Ezra let himself drop to his feet.

"They were testing out a new drug," he said. "Supposed to mess up colors or something; I kind of tuned out when he was talking."

"Colors?" Kanan said, raising an eyebrow, the barest hints of a smile on the corners of his lips.

"Yeah. I think it was safe to say it didn't work on me," Ezra said with a grin. Kanan smirked and ruffled his hair.

"I think we'd have worse problems if it did. Now come on, Hera's waiting."

**Author's Note:**

> Only one more installment in this series after this one! 
> 
> R&R <3


End file.
